The variety of the mycological world is far greater than most people imagine. Tens of thousands of fungal species have been described and many more are known only from the abundance of their genes in soil and water. Fungi are hugely important as agents of wood decay in forests, and, as parasites, they have caused the deaths of millions of people by ravaging crops and reshaping natural ecosystems. Fungi perform a variety of essential functions in

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"An engaging and thrilling tour of the new frontiers in mycology-from ecology to fermentation to medicine-introducing the reader to the fascinating characters involved in the fungal Renaissance. Fungi are fundamental to life. As decomposers, they are critical to the formation and sustenance of soils and ecosystems. As endlessly innovative chemists, they devise and secrete enzymes that can break down a vast variety of materials, mitigate bacterial...

Throughout history, fungus has been prized for its diverse properties--medicinal, ecological, even recreational--and has spawned its own quirky subculture dedicated to exploring the weird biology and celebrating its unique role. Accomplished food writer and cookbook author Bone examines the role of fungi as exotic delicacy, curative, poison, and hallucinogen.